DUBAI // Building workers who started a four-day strike will be held accountable, their employer said today.
Arabtec said the strike from Saturday to Tuesday by an unspecified number of its employees had no impact on any of its sites.
“Working closely with the UAE Ministry of Labour, the Abu Dhabi and Dubai Police and other authorities, the stoppage was resolved amicably,” the company said.
Workers said a large group of mostly Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani men were taken in for questioning by police.
They said today that a foreman had been beaten at one site after the strike. The Indian was attacked by a group of 10 to 15 workers at a villa project in Al Barsha.
Arabtec gave no details about the foreman’s medical condition.
A worker at the Barsha accommodation camp said rising anger over the workload and low pay had led to the attack.
“Labourers are pushed by the foremen to work more and instead of a target of completing three villas, they are given five villas,” he said.
“So the men got angry and could not control their anger. They should not have beaten him up. But they were a big group and no one could restrain them.”
Strikers returned to work late on Monday after police were called to the Arabtec labour accommodation that houses more than 5,000.
The workers, who earn between Dh650 and Dh1,200 a month, were asking that their Dh350 food allowance be paid directly in cash instead of meals.
“Most people decided to return to work after the police came. We just wanted them to pay us the money instead of giving us meals,” one said.
The workers said more men were held by police on Tuesday night. One said they had not returned yet.
“The thing is that if you work for two months or for five years, there is no hope of your pay increasing,” one said.
“The last time workers went on strike they were finally given overtime pay, so this time they hoped to get the lunch allowance money.”
Mohammed Husain, political counsellor at the Bangladeshi embassy in Abu Dhabi, said the Dubai consulate was investigating.
“We’ve instructed our Dubai consulate to supervise and take appropriate measures and inform us appropriately,” Mr Husain said.
“So far we have had some disturbing reports – they might deport them. We will not allow our people to take part in any illegal activities.
“They must be disciplined in line with local law.”
rtalwar@thenational.ae
* Additional reporting by Gregor Stuart Hunter
